Short Summary

MAJOR-GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH, THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF SOUTH VIETNAM'S MILITARY JUNTA, ON FEBRUARY 1 MADE A BRIEF MEET-THE-PEOPLE TOUR IN SAIGON.

Description

MAJOR-GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH, THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF SOUTH VIETNAM'S MILITARY JUNTA, ON FEBRUARY 1 MADE A BRIEF MEET-THE-PEOPLE TOUR IN SAIGON. HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY OTHER GENERALS, INCLUDING MAJOR-GENERAL DUONG VAN MINH, FORMER JUNTA CHAIRMAN.

THE PARTY VISITED XA LOI PAGODA, FORMER HEADQUARTERS OF THE BUDDHIST MOVEMENT WHICH AGITATED AGAINST PRESIDENT NGO DINH DIEM'S REGIME.

MAJOR-GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH SEIZED POWER IN A BLOODLESS COUP D'ETAT ON JANUARY 30. HE SAID HE WAS OUT TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY AGAINST SEIZURE BY NEUTRALISTS.

ON FEBRUARY 2, THE NEW JUNTA CHAIRMAN FLEW TO BEN CAT, THIRTY MILES NORTH OF SAIGON, TO TALK WITH TROOPS AND THE LOCAL POPULATION.

ON ARRIVAL, HE WAS MET BY GENERAL PAUL HARKINS, CHIEF UNITED STATES MILITARY ASSISTANCE IN VIETNAM. AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, MAJOR-GENERAL NGUYEN KHANH SAID: "I WANT TO SPEND MY FIRST FEW HOURS OF LEISURE WITH MY MEN IN THE FIELDS".

HIS FIFTEEN-MINUTE TALK WITH THE TROOPS THROUGH A MICROPHONE WAS PUNCTUATED BY THE BLASTS OF HEAVY ARTILLERY ONLY A FEW YARDS AWAY GIVING SUPPORT TO THE FIELD OPERATION.